User-created list
Names that don't suck
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Genevieve
English from French
"tribe woman"
Genevieve is derived from the Germanic medieval name Genovefa, or Kenowefa, which consists of the elements kuni , meaning "kin", and wefa , meaning "woman." The medieval saint Genevieve, patroness of…
Arya
Sanskrit; Modern variation of Aria
"noble; air/song"
Arya was derived from an Indo-Iranian word meaning "Aryan" or "noble." It is a masculine given name in Iran, Indonesia, Bali, and Sanskrit-speaking regions of India. In Hindu- and English-speaking…
Hayes
English surname and nature name
"hedged area"
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it…
Gemma
Italian, Catalonian, Spanish
"precious stone"
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008. Coming from a medieval Italian…
Lila
Arabic, Sanskrit
"night; play"
Lila is one of the girl names with a double l sound — Lila, Lola, Layla, Leila, Lily et al — that have caught on in a major way., Delicate yet dynamic, Lila has a slightly international flair. The…
Noelle
French
"Christmas"
Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael , which evolved from the Latin natalis ,…
Finn
Irish, Scandinavian, Norse
"fair, white; from Finland"
Finn is a name with enormous energy and charm, that of the greatest hero of Irish mythology, Finn MacCool (aka Fionn mac Cuumhaill), an intrepid warrior with mystical supernatural powers, noted as…
Miriam
Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament…
Lennox
Scottish
"elm grove"
Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the…
Leia
Variation of Leah, Laya, or Leya, Portuguese, Spanish, English, Sanskrit
"weary; the law; dissolution"
Most familiar in the English speaking world as the Star Wars princess, Jedi, and leader, Leia can be considered a pop culture choice, created by George Lucas who in turn likely based it on the…
Reed
English
"red-haired"
A slim, elegant, silvery surname, Reed could be a banker or a sculptor, and therein lies the appeal of this simple yet distinctive name. The versatile Reed can be seen as a grass-like nature name and…
Veronica
Latin
"she who brings victory; true image"
The name Veronica projects a triple-threat image: at once saintly, sensuous, and strong. The name derives from Berenice, the Latin form of the Greek name Berenike "she who brings victory", with the…
Lorelei
German
"alluring, temptress"
The lovely Lorelei, a name from old German legend, was a beautiful Rhine River seductress whose haunting voice led sailors to hazardous rocks that would cause them to be shipwrecked. And this siren…
Felicity
Latin
"good fortune, happy"
Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of…
Ford
English
"dweller at the ford"
The long association to the Ford Motor Company doesn't stand in the way of this being a strong, independent, single-syllable name. Owen Wilson named his son Robert Ford—although the baby's name was…
Estella
Latinate form of Estelle
"star"
Estella is a pretty Latin name, most notably associated with the character in Dickens's Great Expectations , adopted and raised to reek Miss Haversham's revenge on men. With the popularity of Stella,…
Dorian
Greek, name of a tribe
The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian…
Alexis
Greek
"defender"
Alexis, a one-time exclusively- boys’ name , was more popular than its sister Alexandra for quite a while, but in recent years Alexandra has overtaken it once again. Alexis was a Top 20 girls’ name…
Marina
Latin
"from the sea"
This pretty sea-born name was used to dramatic effect by Shakespeare in his play Pericles for the virtuous princess who says she is "Call'd Marina, for I was born at sea." Marina was an epithet of…
Mercy
English word name
"compassion"
The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots…